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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Alexandra Sims

Damascus bombings: At least eight killed as twin blasts hit Syrian capital suburb

At least eight people have been killed and 13 injured after two explosions hit the suburb of Sayyida Zeinab outside Damascus.

The first explosion is understood to have been caused by a suicide attacker wearing an explosives belt at the entrance of Ziabiyeh district, Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reports.

The second blast was triggered by a car bomb in the main al-Tin Street in al-Diyabia town, according to Syrian state TV.

Destruction at the site of a double bomb attack outside the Sayyida Zeinab shrine (AFP)

The UK-based Saurian Observatory for Human Rights have reported a higher death toll of at least 12 people killed and 30 wounded in the blasts.

Images of the scene on Syria's official Al-Ikhbariya channel showed burned-out cars with plumes of black smoke. Fighfighters were also seen battling to extinguish the flames.

A number of houses have been damaged and a market was set on fire during the incident, SANA reports.

The suburb is home to one of one of Shia Islam's most renowned shrines.

The shrine, around six miles south of the centre of Damscus, is heavily garrisoned by pro-government forces but has still been the target of several attacks, some of which have been claimed by Isis.

The shrine contains the grave of Zeinab, the daughter of the first Shia imam, Ali, and granddaughter of the Islamic Prophet Muhammed. It receives thousands of Shia pilgrims each year.

Sayyida Zeinab has been a frequent target of suicide and car bombings in Syria's civil war, now in its sixth year. Some of them have been claimed by Isis.

In April, at least seven were killed and dozens wounded in an attack on Sayyida Zeinab.

A sting of Isis bombings near the shrine in February left more than 130 dead, most of whom were civilians, according to the Observatory.

In January, another attack claimed by Isis left 70 people dead.         

The Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah cited the threat to Sayyida Zeinab as a principal reason for its intervention in the civil was on the side of President Bashar al-Assad.

Thousands of Iraqi and Afghan Shia militia recruits, volunteering to fight against the Sunni rebel groups trying to bring down Assad's government, also come to the area before being sent to frontlines across Syria.

They say they come to Syria to defend the Sayeda Zeinab shrine from radical Sunni extremists.

Additional reporting by agencies

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